The โCinco de Mayo Bull Run Festivalโ at Old Tucson has been canceled, Pima County officials said Tuesday.
But the organizer says he was surprised to hear about the festival being a no-go and called the countyโs cancellation a pile of malarkey.
The โCinco De Mayo Bull Run Festivalโ was set to happen from Friday, May 2, through Sunday, May 4, with runs each day in which people would pay to outrun 12 bulls that would be released in waves of four onto the 15-foot wide course.
The โcontracted vendor was unable to provide proof of the required insurance as requiredโ by the county, Jan Lesher, the county administrator, said in a memo. And Natalie Eleftheriadis, Old Tucsonโs marketing manager, confirmed Thursday that Glendale-based Bullrun Festival, organizers of the event, had been unable to provide the required insurance.
The cancellation was news to Chad Merwin, Bullrunโs event manager. He said Thursday that neither he nor his partner, Phil Immordino, had not been told โanything at allโ of the event being called off.
There will be no running with the bulls this Cinco de Mayo weekend at Old Tucson, Pima County says. The organizer, however, said the decision was news to him and called the countyโs claim it is based on insurance issues โfarfetched.โ
โNo oneโs ever talked to us, no oneโs ever approached us. This is the very first time weโve actually heard of anything. So from that perspective, weโre going to do everything we can to make sure (Lesher) gets whatever she needs, and we hope that sheโs being truthful, that thereโs not some other agenda or something that someoneโs trying to cancel us,โ Merwin said Thursday.
โWe upgraded our insurance also, so that seems farfetched ... Iโm just kind of dumbfounded that that was going to be their first take on it.โ
Despite the memo, Merwin said that he and his staff are still โ100% full-steam aheadโ in getting ready to have the festival.
โI can tell you, itโs been thousands (of people) that weโve had that have inquired to come forward, and that have moved forward and actually purchased tickets,โ he said. โWe want to do everything we can to make sure that this thing goes forward, and that location is great too.โ
Pima County, Old Tucsonโs landlord, did not appear concerned about any liability over the event when it was first reported by the Star in early February.
In a February memo, Lesher told County Supervisors that โFull responsibility for the event ultimately rests with American Heritage Railways and the event promoter, and not with Pima County.โ
